Indian batters are making the most of the flat pitch served at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad for the fourth and final Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test against Australia.
In reply to Australia’s massive first innings total of 480, the hosts scored 289/3 at stumps on Day 3. Opener Shubman Gill slammed a stunning century (128) while the likes of Virat Kohli (59*) and Cheteshwar Pujara (42) made notable contributions.
After the third day’s play, Pujara said pitches like the ones in the Ahmedabad Test are essential for the health of batters every now and then.
Notably, the first Test three in Nagpur, Delhi and Indore were played on turning tracks, where batters from both sides struggled to make big runs. In fact, the conditions were so extreme for the batters that all three Tests got over inside three days.
“As a batter you always feel happy playing on such pitches because, considering the pitches we played on in the last three Tests, it was challenging. But you need to be positive in terms of your mindset. When you are playing on difficult pitches, you need to understand that we are not going to get big hundreds.
“Even if you get a good 30-40s, it’s as good as 100. When you get such pitches, you try and make the most of it. You need wickets like these at times where batters get chances to score runs,” Pujara was quoted as saying.
Pujara also expressed his disappointment on getting out at the stroke of Tea on Day 3. Todd Murphy dismissed him after he was involved in a 113-run partnership with Gill.
“A bit disappointed, but the way our team is placed, if we have another good day tomorrow, we put runs on the board, there will be results on Day 5. But overall, it’s a good pitch, the way I was batting, I was happy, but unfortunately I got out and I am bit disappointed,” he stated.
Pujara lauded Gill for taking the Aussie attack to the cleaners en route to his second Test century, which was studded with 12 fours and a six.
“We wanted to build a partnership; we knew that once the ball gets older, it will get easier to bat. We thought we’ll bat for another hour, try and build a partnership, rotate the strike. Shubman was batting really well and was taking on the bowlers, so I just had to play my natural game rather than taking any risks,” he remarked.
(India Today Inputs)
